CHAPTER 4: THE ENCLOSURE

Chloe sat on the edge of the couch, one hand pressed to the side of her belly where the twins were kicking hard, like they could feel the chaos too. Her phone screen glowed with fresh headlines. Billionaire's Fiancée Dumps Him for Richer Man, Surrogate Drama Explodes.

"Shit," she whispered, thumb scrolling faster. Comments flooded in, calling her the replacement, the desperate one, the plus-size stand-in.

She'd spent years learning to ignore strangers' opinions about her body. Somehow, reading them now hurt even more.

The penthouse door flew open. Damian strode in, jacket already off, tie loosened, eyes locked on her. “Vanessa left. For good. Marry me for one year to fix my image or the deal ends. No shared custody, No access, Your choice.”

Chloe’s hand stilled on her stomach. The kicks continued but her own breath caught sharp. She set the phone down slowly. “You’re joking. I signed up for co-parenting, not a fake marriage to save your reputation.”

“I don’t joke.” He dropped his briefcase on the table and crossed his arms. “The board is already circling. Marcus is pushing for a vote. One year.

We sell the happy couple story, then quiet divorce after the twins are born. You keep generous compensation. Everyone wins.”

“Everyone except me.” Chloe pushed up from the couch, her back protesting the movement. She planted her feet wide, refusing to step back. “I wanted a baby on my terms. Shared access. Not this. Not you deciding my life again because your perfect fiancée bailed.”

Damian’s jaw flexed. “This isn’t about control. It’s damage control. You live here already. The press has your name. Refuse and I pull the medical coverage. The lawyers will fight for full custody. You know I’ll win.”

“You’d really do that?” Chloe’s fingers curled into fists at her sides. “Threaten to take them from me before they’re even born? After all your talk about clean transactions. You’re unbelievable.”

“I do what’s necessary.” His voice stayed low but the edge sharpened. “Pack something presentable. We have a charity event tonight. First public appearance. Smile, stand beside me, and let the cameras do the rest.”

Chloe wanted to tell him exactly where he could shove his event, but the twins shifted again, a reminder of what was at stake. She thought, If I walk now, I lose everything I fought for. He knows it.

"Fine. I'll do the event. But I'm not saying yes to your marriage."

The event was a blur of flashing cameras and stiff smiles. Damian kept his hand at the small of her back the entire time, guiding her through the crowded ballroom like she belonged there. Reporters shouted questions.

“Mr. King, is this the surrogate? How does Vanessa feel about the replacement?”

Damian pulled her closer, his grip firm. “Chloe and I are building a family. That’s all that matters.”

Chloe forced her lips into something like a smile, but her free hand kept tugging at the side of her black maternity dress, the fabric suddenly feeling too tight across her hips and stomach. A woman in a tiny red gown whispered loudly to her date as they passed, “Plus-size surrogate bride. Bold choice.”

Chloe’s shoulders hunched before she caught herself. She lifted her chin higher, but the words stuck like hooks in her skin. They see me as the consolation prize. The fat girl who got knocked up for money. She pulled away from Damian’s hand slightly, creating space between them.

He noticed immediately. In the back of the town car on the way home, he turned to her. “You were tense in there. The press loved it. That’s what counts.”

“Loved it?” Chloe laughed once, bitter. She stared out the window at the passing lights. “They loved tearing me apart. ‘Plus-size surrogate bride.’ Like that’s all I am now. You didn’t even blink when they said it. Just kept pushing the perfect image.”

“It’s noise,” he said. “Ignore it. We control the narrative.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re not the one everyone’s judging for existing in this body while carrying your heirs.” She shifted in the seat, turning toward him fully. “This fake marriage? It’s another way for you to control the story. Control me. I’m not your prop, Damian.”

His fingers drummed once on his knee. “You signed the original contract. You knew there would be terms. Emotions complicate things, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember.” Chloe rubbed her belly as one of the twins gave a strong kick. “But I didn’t sign up to be discarded when it’s convenient. If we do this, it’s on my terms too. No more unilateral decisions.”

They rode the rest of the way in heavy silence. Back at the penthouse, Chloe kicked off her heels the second the door closed and headed straight for the guest suite. She needed space. She needed to think.

She changed into soft pajamas and started unpacking the small bag she’d brought for the event, yanking open the drawer of the nightstand to shove her charger inside. A thick manila folder sat there instead, half-hidden under some papers. She pulled it out without thinking.

The label read.Surrogacy Agreement - enclosure Confidential.

Her hands stilled, She opened it. The first page spelled it out in cold legal language. substantial payoff to Chloe upon birth, full custody to Damian, termination of all her parental rights. A separate clause about “managing public perception” and ensuring the surrogate understood the temporary nature of involvement.

Chloe’s fingers tightened on the pages until the paper crinkled loudly. This wasn’t the contract she had signed. This was the one he had planned all along.

She stood there, staring at the words, the twins moving inside her like nothing had changed. But everything had.

The door to the suite opened behind her. Damian stepped in.

“Chloe…” he started.

She turned slowly, holding up the folder.

"Tell me this isn't real," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.